MLB Rumors

The Rays recalled relief pitcher Jeff Beliveau Sunday prior to a game against the Orioles. The Rays optioned reliever Alex Torres back to Triple-A Durham, the Tampa Bay Times reports. 

Beliveau will pitch in relief for the Rays and will likely be optioned back to Durham once the team recalls Jake Odorizzi to start Monday. 

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter knocked in two runs in a loss Saturday against Milwaukee.

Carpenter recorded both RBI on his only hit in four at-bats, a sixth-inning single. He also walked and is hitting .303/.386/.452.

Brewers infielder Jeff Bianchi went 2 for 5 with two RBI in a spot start Saturday against St. Louis.

Bianchi singled with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the 10th to give the Brewers the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run. Bianchi was getting a rare start as the Brewers chose to rest the slumping Rickie Weeks. He also scored a run in the effort.

Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen was dealt his first blown save Saturday against the Braves. Jansen entered the game in the eighth inning with a 1-0 lead and one inherited runner.

Unfortunately, he was greeted by a two-run homer from Evan Gattis and Andrelton Simmons followed with a solo homer, sending Jansen (1-2) and the Dodgers to an eventual 3-1 loss. 

Jansen said Gattis "just hit a good pitch." Gattis said Justin Upton gave him advice about avoiding cutters that appeared to be bound for the middle of the plate because they would break off the plate. Gattis said Upton's instruction was to wait on a pitch "starting at you, or it looks like it's starting at you. That's going to be the one that you want."

"What could I do?" Jansen asked. "I'm not going to let that bother me. Tip your hat. He hit a good pitch. You've got to go in there. Period. He's creeping up on home plate every time I'm throwing outside. I put it where I wanted to put it."

Dodgers starting pitcher Chris Capuano was leading 1-0 in the eighth inning Saturday against Atlanta before being pulled following a one-out single to B.J. Upton. Capuano had allowed only five hits and threw 91 pitches, but he told Mattingly after his last at-bat in the eighth inning to be prepared to pull him out of the game because he had lingering problems with a strained calf.

"It wasn't affecting pitch execution out there," Capuano said. "It just feels a little tired. I've got an extra day before the next start (Friday against the Cardinals). With treatment and stuff we should be able to get that ready."

Capuano, who was activated off the DL May 6, is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA in his last three starts. He's allowed two runs on 10 hits and one walk in his last two starts (13 2/3 innings).

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura went 3 for 4 in Saturday's victory over St. Louis.

Segura scored a run and knocked in two more with his fourth triple. Segura is hitting .361/.404/.542 in 158 at-bats after he hit .258/.315/.325 in 151 at-bats last season.

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun went 3 for 5 in Saturday's win over St. Louis.

All three hits were singles. Braun, who had two RBI, is hitting .326/.414/.582.

Before Saturday's game against the Giants, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said he was beginning to see "signs" of outfielder Dexter Fowler emerging from his hitting slump, according to The Denver Post.

"(Friday) night, (in the sixth inning), he flied out to center. Dex took that swing that I saw early this season and this spring," Weiss said. "He walked by and I said, 'You're back.' And he said, 'Yeah.' I know he ended up striking out in his last at-bat, but some of the swings he ended up taking shows me he's ready to bust out."

Fowler responded Saturday with three hits for the first time since the season opener. He's batting .400 (6 for 15) with a double and two RBI in his last three games after starting May with a .128 average (5 for 39) through his first 11 games.

Rockies starting pitcher Juan Nicasio is 3-1 through eight starts, but his win-loss record doesn't tell the entire story. Nicasio has a 5.13 ERA and has made it through six innings just twice this season.

"He needs to start throwing the ball -- he's been trying to be too fine with his pitches, instead of just letting them go," Rockies backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba said to The Denver Post. "He's a power pitcher. He can throw his fastball by a lot of hitters. The secondary pitches? He needs to keep working on them, but instead of trying to be too fine, he needs to throw the 95, 96 mph fastball by them."

Manager Walt Weiss seems to be in agreement with Torrealba, who will be behind the plate Sunday for Nicasio's start against the Giants.

"It's just a matter of making pitches and not thinking too much about the hitter ... as opposed to pitching to his own strength," Weiss said. "I think in the bullpen, where there is no hitter there, you just do what you do."

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who has started 35 of 43 games, is fine with not playing every day in an attempt to make sure he doesn't suffer a setback with his surgically repaired groin, according to The Denver Post.

"I am right there with them," Tulowitzki said. " I'd love to be out there every day, but at the same time I am not capable of it right now. Some of those days off make me better in the long run rather than continually wearing myself down. If I played (every day), I would be more (vulnerable) to injury. I am sure it's tough for people to understand. I totally get that. But it is what I have to do. The (training staff) has convinced me, and I have seen over the last couple of years that it's the way to handle it."

Tulowitzki had a big day Saturday against the Giants with a season-high four hits. He had a double, a run and two RBI. Tulowitzki is batting .392 (20 for 51) in 15 May games (13 starts), raising his season average from .308 to .341.